Bite the Bullet
by girlonfire199578
Summary: Katniss is taken by the Capitol instead of Peeta. "How long have I been here? A week? A month? A year even? I've lost all sense of time in this hell hole. At this point day and night have just become one big mix of torture. It's never ending. It seems like a lifetime ago since I was taken out of the Quarter Quell."
1. Chapter 1

**Bite the Bullet**

Chapter One

**Katniss' POV **

How long have I been here? A week? A month? A year even? I've lost all sense of time in this hell hole. At this point day and night have just become one big mix of torture. It's never ending. It seems like a lifetime ago since I was taken out of the Quarter Quell.

My name is Katniss Everdeen. I'm 17 years old. My home is District 12. I won the Hunger Games. Went back into the Quarter Quell. President Snow hates me. Now I'm a prisoner of the Capitol.

My cell has become the only place where I can escape in even the slightest. It's walls are stained with mold and what must be blood, though I try and imagine it's just worn paint. It reeks of sweat, blood and about every other horrible smell you can imagine mixed in with constant fear and desperation. They only let me bath when I have to do some scripted interview of some sort. Other than that, I along with everyone else in this prison, sit around and collect layers of oil and grime on our skin and hair. That's exactly the state I'm in now. My glossy black hair is full of oil to the point that you can see each individual strand. If I rub my hand over my skin, it's easy to scrub of the grime that coats my normally olive tone. Must ne at least two weeks since my last shower. But what does it matter? All I do other than sit in this cell is get interrogated and tortured. No reason to look good. My prep team would have a heart attack I'm sure.

I hear footsteps falling on the metal floor. We all know what that means. Someone is about to be tortured. And as a Peacekeeper in his all white uniform steps in front or my cell door, I know it's me.

I push myself closer against the far corner of the cell where I have settled myself. No matter how many times they come for me, I will be always be scares out of my mind. He presses in the code on the pad next to the barred cell door, each button beeping as it's pushed. The door slides away into the wall with a groan, protesting against the rust that has built up over the years. He steps in, his boots echoing through my small quarters.

"Alright fire girl. It's your turn." He says in a husky voice that sends chill up my spine.

I shake my in head in protest, my jaw clenching in fear. Not that it'll do any good. He still grabs onto my thinning arm with no remorse. Probably forming more bruises than already cover my body. I'm yanked to my feet and practically dragged out into the hallway, the door sliding shut behind us.

The walk to the interrogation room takes about fifteen minutes but to me it only feels like a few seconds. I've walked this same path so many times I could do it with my eyes shut.

As the heavy metal doors slide open I can already smell it. That grotesque mixture of blood and roses. And sure enough, as I'm dragged further into the all white room with the blinding lights, I see him sitting there. President Snow himself sits comfortably in a chair behind a window. He is there everyday, saying nothing at all. Simply watching and listening to my torture with a neutral expression on his face; clearly not caring what kind of pain I am put through. He stares at me with his snake eyes. I must really be something to see. There has been no way for me to really look at myself but I can imagine what I must look like. I only get two meals here; all both only stale bread and water, so I know I've lost weight making me little more than skin and bones. My hair is tangled and matted. My white prison uniform hangs off my sickly body, covered in dirt and dry blood. Like I said, my prep team would have a heart attack.

I'm strapped down on a cold metal table. White light stings my eyes. If only this was the worst part. Oh, but this is only the beginning. My interrogator spreads out his tools on a separate table, looking over them to see what he should start with. Needles, knives, live wires, whips and other countless tools of torture; all that will be used on me. He picks up a knife, twirling it in his in his fingers as he turns to me, a malicious smile on his lips.

"Alright girl on fire. Are you going to behave today? Give us some answers?"

I look him dead in the eyes as I talk. I'm telling the truth, no reason to be ashamed. "I already told you. I don't know anything about the rebels or the revolution. I had nothing to do with it." I say, my weak voice feeling like sand paper coming out of my raw throat. Screaming does that.

His jaw locks and he shakes his head as he dips the knife into a bottle of what I'm assuming is some from of acid. He walks up next to my table, looking down at me with cold, dark eyes. "Nobody buys this little innocent act Miss Everdeen. Come on now, just tell us what you know and we'll let you go."

I eye the knife as a drop of acid drips off the tip to the floor. "I-" my voice is so weak I have to swallow to form another word. "I don't know anything."

A sigh slips from his lips and he shakes his head, "You're so stubborn. Well, if you don't want to tell then I'll just have to punish you. Unless you want to speak up." His eyes watch me, waiting for me to give up. When I don't, he simply shrugs, "Oh well." He drags the knife down my arm, the acid causing an excruciating burning in my arm. I cry out in pain, trying to push against the restraints. "When did you find out about the rebels?!" I shake my head, tears stinging my eyes. "I don't know! I told you I-I don't know!" I sob. This earns me another to on my leg. "Did you volunteer for your sister in the 74th Hunger Games so you could begin your work with the rebel forces?!" His voice is rising now, venom filling with each word. I can feel the acid seeping into the cuts. The pain seems endless. How am I even supposed to respond while going through this? I look up at him, blood trickling down my cheek as he cuts me again. "I… I never knew anything… I swear." My voice shakes, just barely over a whisper. A primal growl comes through his teeth and now I know things are about to get worse.

He throws the knife to the ground, clear acid splattering against the hard floor. "I think it's time we stepped things up a bit. How about a little shock?"

A whimper comes from me. I know this torture. They call it "electric treatment" though I know it doesn't really treat anything.

Gloves are slipped ont his hands as he picks up the live wire attached to a generator. He walks back to me and holds it just close enough to my side that I feel an unpleasant tingle.

"What was Mr. Mellark planning for the rebellion?" he asks through clenched teeth.

I stay quiet, silent tears slipping down my cheek. "Fine then. You won't talk? I'll make you scream." He touches the wire to my skin, electricity surging through my veins. My vision goes black. I can't even scream. Strangled sobs leave me as he takes it away. He puts it back without even a question. I can't see straight. Is this happening? I can hardly think. I might black out. Is this ever going to end?

"Just tell me what you know!" he screams at me, his face turning red with rage. I want to say something in response but I can hardly think let alone form sentences. My body feels like it's made of bricks. I almost wish I could just die now. If I haven't been rescued by now, chances are I never will be. They clearly have more important thing than to save their poor victors.

"That's it! If you're not going to respond to basic torture then we're going to have to try a new method." My interrogator walks to the generator, shutting it off an placing the wire on the table. He takes his gloves off and comes back to my table, unlocking my restraints and pulling me off the table.

"You're off lucky for now. You are taking part in a special televised event tonight. So were going to have to wait." He sneers, shoving me towards the Peacekeeper that had brought me in here. "Take her to the stylist and get her ready." The Peacekeeper nods, gripping onto my arm as he drags me out of the room.

I'm so weak from my torture that I don't even have to energy to properly use my legs, so I'm stumbling the whole way there; blood dripping down my skin to the floor. I know where he's taking me. To my "stylist". Though he's nothing like the stylists I have come to know. This man is not like Cinna. He is not kind, doesn't lift me up and turn me into something beautiful. All he does is dress me up, covering all signs of torture then hand me back to a guard.

I hate this part almost as much as the actual torture. They put me on camera and Caesar Flickerman, who I've really grown to hate since my capture, who asks me questions that I answer with scripted lies. It makes me sick. Doing the same thing I have hated the Capitol for doing my whole life. But what choice do I have? It's not like they'll just kill me if I screw up. No, they'll just torture me more than normal. It amazes me to think that I used to be so strong. They've taken that girl away. Now all that's left is her shadow.

**Peeta's POV **

Five months. Five never ending, torturous months. That's how long it's been since I was taken out of the Quarter Quell by the rebels and Katniss was taken out by the Capitol. Making her their prisoner. The only way I've been able to see her is on a television screen sitting across from Caesar Flickerman. She appears almost unharmed. At least to people who don't know her. Those who do can see the emptiness in her normally serious, stormy grey eyes. The way that she fidgets more than usual. Even her feather like hunters step isn't the same when she walks onto the stage. What are they doing to her? It drives me insane. I feel so helpless; watching her in the Capitol, most likely tortured while I'm safe here in District 13.

I still can't believe that District 13 even exists. I've gone my whole life thinking that it had been obliterated during the Dark Days when in reality it had been building up, growing stronger, waiting for just the right moment to start the revolution. I find it hard not to hare all of these people. How could they just sit here underground, safe from the Capitol and the Games while we in the districts suffering from poverty and starvation or just barely getting by and sending our children into the Hunger Games knowing that there can only be one winner? It makes me sick just at the thought of it. But I can't take my anger out on them. I have to focus on the Capitol. Destroying them for all they've done. How dare they take her away from me right when I thought we were getting on the same page. How could they…

"Peeta. Peeta?!"

I'm snapped out of my thoughts by a husky voice saying my name, demanding my attention. I look up to see Boggs, our commander, along with everyone else sitting around the table looking at me expectantly. Dammit. They were talking to me. Must have dozed out again. I've been doing that allot since I got here.

"Oh uh… sorry. Would you… would you repeat that?" I ask feeling ashamed.

Boggs sighs, rolling his eyes and crossing his arms over his chest. "I was asking you whether or not you had finished shooting the propo to intercept the Capitol television channels."

Oh, those. Starting about a month ago, Beetee had discovered a way to hack into the Capitol network and air propos, usually just of me yelling at the camera about what the rebel forces had accomplished so far in the war. If you ask me, they're a waste of time. But that's probably because all I can think about is getting Katniss out of the Capitol.

"We finished them yesterday. I'm hoping to air them tonight. Maybe around eight o'clock." Beetee interjects.

"Excellent. The more power the Capitol sees we have, the better." Boggs states.

"What's even the point of these propos? They're not getting us anywhere. What we need to be focusing on is hitting them where it really hurts. Airing propos on their tv's isn't going to get us anywhere. We need to take away the one thing that is most valuable to them right now. Their secret weapon. We need to rescue Katniss and the others. If we can do that, then they'll really get a taste of what the rebels can do." Gale says, his hands balled up into fists on the table top. He wants Katniss our just as badly as I do. Though he hasn't shown the same effects of it that I have.

"I've said this once before. Going into the Capitol right now to simply rescue a handful of people is too risky at this point. It would be hazardous, almost stupid to even attempt it. We can't risk losing soldiers over something not mandatory." Boggs says, massaging his temple in frustration.

I open my mouth, ready to throw out another protest but am interrupted by a loud beeping. The small screens in front of each sea light up, the Capitol symbol illuminated on the screen. This is Capitol mandatory viewing, but even her in District 13 we watch, hoping for any information on the Capitols next plan of attack.

Once the seal disappears, I see her. Her hair and face are done up nicely for the cameras and she wears a black dress, nowhere near as nice as what Cinna used to design for her. The usual olive tone of her skin is even more pale than the last time I saw her on this screen. I reach out my hand, my fingers brushing her face. What have they done to you.

Caesar Flickerman straightens up his yellow jacket, matching with his yellow dyed hair. He looks like a giant lemon. He smiles his ever famous pearly whites at the camera then turns to Katniss. "Now Katniss, you must be aware that this war, this terrible war is very much underway." Caesar states, leaning forward onto his knees, closer to Katniss.

She looks even more nervous than she normally does on camera. Her eyes flicker from her lap, to the floor, basically anything but Caesar. "Y-ye" she stops, clearing her throat. "Yes. I'm very well aware of the state of the war." That's all she has to offer in her shaky voice. How can the people in the Capitol believe this? Can they not see the difference in the twirling female tribute and this nervous, almost sickly girl that sits there now?

"And what is your view of all this?" Caesar questions, looking at Katniss expectantly.

She looks up at him, her hands twisting uneasily in her lap. "I this it's insane. I don't think this should have ever happened in the first place." She says, her voice a bit more confident than before.

Caesar nods, "I see. Now what about the rebels? Do you have anything to say about Peeta Mellark and the other rebels?"

Katniss visibly stiffens at my name, her eyes widening a bit. Her body twists away from Caesar, looking directly at the camera. "I would. I want to tell them theat they should just stop and think for a minute. Why are you wasting your time? You may think you now what you're doing. What you're in for. Bur you don't. You should be focusing on what's really important here. Life."

I meet those grey eyes and see a small glimpse of the strong-willed Katniss I know and love. But what is she even talking about? Is she telling us that we need to back down? No. Katniss, damaged or not, wouldn't do something like that. 'You should be focusing on what's really important. Life.' Did she mean the rebels lives? No. That can't be it. Katniss, in her own sneaky way is trying to tell us something.

"So you're saying that they should surrender?" Caesar asks, his yellow eyebrows shooting up in question.

Katniss turns back to Caesar and hesitantly shakes her head. "No. I just think that if they really knew what they were doing, then they wouldn't be sending our propos and helping with damage control. They would actually save lives. It's safe for them by now."

Caesar looks at her, alarmed at all she had just said. What does she mean it's safe for us by now? Safe to what? To rescue them… It's safe now to rescue them! Just about the time I break her little code, the Capitol does too. There is screaming though the speakers. The camera has been knocked down making only feet visible. And that's when I hear it. Right before the screen goes black, there is a loud feminine scream. Katniss. The screen goes blank.

Everyone sits around the table, eyes glued to the now empty screen, trying to process what they just saw. I stand up before I can even think about it, slamming my hands on the table. "Did you not hear what she just said? This is our chance! We have to get them out! Now."

Boggs groans, shaking his head, "I've already explained this to you once today Mellark. It's too big of a risk for us to deal with right now."

"What do you not get here? She was telling us that now is the time to go to the Capitol. To save all of them. We need to go in there. Now!" I look at him hard. How can he not see that we need to do this? We have to. I have to get her back. Know that she's safe.

"I actually agree with Peeta on this one." Gales say's, backing me up for the first time since I've known him. "If we're ever going to get them out, now is the time to do it. You heard what Katniss said. We need to act."

"Miss Everdeen has been under the influence of imprisonment and possibly torture for five months. She is not a reliable source." Boggs counters.

"She seemed pretty certain to me. Don't see why we shouldn't just believe her and get them out." Finnick speaks up for the first time, stopping his fingers from tying knots in the short length of rope he always carries around. "We all have people that we want back. Friends, loved ones; they deserve to be saved. How do you expect your soldiers to fight their best if they're sitting around all day worrying?"

Everybody starts speaking at once throwing out reasons thy we should go into the Capitol. Boggs looks around at us, annoyance clear in his eyes. He lifts two fingers to his lips, blowing and letting out a loud whistle, bringing all of our words to a halt.

"Enough! You all have interesting points. If we're going to do this, than it needs to happen as soon as possible. Anyone emotionally attached to any of the prisoners stays here. We can't risk emotions getting in the way. That means Peeta, Finnick you can't come. No objections. Everyone else needs to be at the landing strip at 18:00. Meeting dismissed." Boggs then leaves the room, rubbing his temples with his fingers.

I should be mad that I don't get to go to the Capitol with them. Help save Kaniss and the others. But I'm not really. I would probably screw up the mission anyway. The important thing is that she's getting out. Out of the cold clutches fo President Snow and the Capitol. I get her back. And right now, that simple thought makes me happier than I've been in a long time.

**Katniss' POV **

After my betrayal during my interview with Caesar, I was hit on the head with what I'm assuming was the butt of a gun and then dragged of stage. They stripped me of my dress and forced me back into my prison uniform before throwing me back into my cell.

I know that my punishment is going to be bad. Probably very bad. But I really don't care. I really just hope that the rebels understood my message.

I had overheard the other day that President Snow was going to be absent from the prison for the majority of today. Makin today the opportune time for the rebels to come and save us all.

But still. The simple thought of what they will do to me makes me want to vomit up the bread and water they had given me before the interview. He had said he was going to try something different. What did that even mean? How could torture get any worse than it already was? I couldn't let them break me. They were so close to it but I wasn't going to let them finish the job.

I bring my hands up to my head, tearing the pins out, my newly washed hair falling in waves over my shoulders, a foreboding scream erupting from my throat. I start grabbing at the bars, shaking the door in the small hope that it might give.

"Might as well give it up brainless. That door isn't going to open any easier that it was when we got here five months ago."

Johanna's voice coming from the cell adjacent to mine stops me. I press my back against the wall we both share, my breathing heavy. Over the time we've been here, Johann has actually become the closest thing I have to a friend. We find comfort in each other with each session of torture we go through. It's hard not to when you've come to recognize each other by your screams.

"The more you flip out, the more pissed their going to be with you and the more trouble you'll be in."

I know she's right. But at this point, I'm desperate. "They told me they were going to try something new. Something worse. How could it get any worse?"

I hear a weak sigh escape her, "I don't know… Maybe you'll get lucky and they'll just go and kill you."

"No… they wouldn't do that. That would be like giving up. They won't crack that easily. All I can do now is hope they get the message."

I hear a light tapping form the hallway and look out to see Johanna's frail hand stretched out, palm open on the other side. My own hand grips her as my eyes well up with tears. "I never really got to know him well… but I know that he would do anything to get you back."

Tears spill over onto my cheeks as we hold onto each others hands. Trying to find some form of hope in each other. But that's all gone as we hear the heavy rise and fall of military boots on metal.

Our hands separate, moving back to our sides before the Peacekeeper reaches my door.

He doesn't even say anything. No taunts. He just opens my cell door, grabs me by the arm and drags me down the hall. I must be in for even more trouble than I thought.

The interrogation room is different. Instead of a metal table, there is a chair with restraints placed in front of a large television screen. What is this? I notice that the chair behind the window is empty. Just like I said.

I'm pushed down onto the chair, restraints tightened around my wrists, ankles and chest. The screen in front of me goes from black to illuminated with the Capitol seal.

"You remember your first games don't you Miss Everdeen?" the voice that regularly haunts my nightmares speaks up. I look at the screen that now shows me volunteering for Prim at the Reaping. Seems like a lifetime ago. "You were so brave. Volunteering so your sister wouldn't have to go. How noble. And then Mr. Mellark being reaped. Some pretty bad luck there."

I don't know why he's going on about this. The monitor flips between clips fo the reaping, parade, interviews, even some training clips. All from my first games.

"Things were going well for you until Mr. Mellark lied to the world. Loving you? That couldn't happen. He could never love a poor girl from the Seam.

Okay. Now I really am confused. I shake my head though I can't get myself to pull my eyes from the screen. "Peeta didn't lie. I thought he did back then but I know the truth now." I say, my eyebrows furrowing in confusion over what's going on.

That's when the first needle comes. Pain surges from my neck, throughout my boy. Intense pain. It's a familiar pain though. I just can't place where. My vision starts to get a bit distorted. Everything start to have a shiny outline. What's happening?

"Now Katniss… You don't really believe that now do you? If he were truly in love with you then why would he betray you and join the Career alliance?" The screen shows Peeta talking to the Careers, forming the alliance. Him searching for tributes, killing the girl with the fire. Why _did_ he do that?

"He-he was trying to protect me. He told me that." Another needle in the the neck. More pain. Vision worse, mind swimming.

"He wouldn't tell you the truth Katniss. He was deceiving you. Why else would he lead Cato and the rest of his little pack right to you? Because he wanted you out of the picture."

"N-no! Peeta would never do that! He's too good…" at this point, even I'm starting to doubt myself. I look at the screen. I'm up in the tree, Peeta and the Careers below me. Waiting me out. It does seem like he lead them. No Katniss stop this. Peeta didn't do that. He would never. Right?

"And then in the Quarter Quell, he let you go off with Miss Mason instead of staying with him. He wouldn't have let that happen if he loved you. He would have wanted to stay with you. Protect you. He would have known it was too dangerous. He was practically setting you up for dead. And look where you are now."

Clips from the Quarter Quell flash across the screen. Images distorted. Peeta smirking evilly as I walk off with Johanna. That couldn't have happened, it couldn't have. The screen changes to show bombs falling on a district, people running and screaming in fear. It takes me a minute to notice it's District 12. I struggle against my restraints desperate to get closer to the screen. As if I can save my home from destruction. He stabs another needle into my neck. My mind can barely think. "See that? That's your precious little home. Being bombed and destroyed by rebel hovercrafts. Led by Mr. Mellark." He hisses into my ear.

My head shakes wildly. "No!" I scream through gritted teeth. Peeta loves me. He would never do this. He loves me and during the tour I had though that I was starting to love him too. But what they were saying… was starting to make sense.

"He deceived you! Acted like he love you then practically turned you over to us!" the screen shows rebel propos with Peeta yelling at the camera. He looks mad. My vision shifts. His eyes glow red, his lips turned up into a smirk. "He cheated you! Are you just going to let him get away with this?!"

I keep my eyes on the screen, hot tears spilling over the edges onto my cheeks. Peeta… you're evil? Why did you lie to me? Destroy our home?

"What are you going to do about this Katniss? You can't just let him get away with this. He's a mutt. Nothing more than a filthy mutt. You have to do something. You want him dead! You. Want. To. Killl! Him!" he shouts, inserting the last needle into my neck.

Peeta is evil. He destroyed District 12. Lied to me. Tried to get me killed. He's a mutt.

The television shuts off, my interrogator stepping in front of me with a satisfied smirk. "What do you want to do Katniss?"

My name is Katniss Everdeen. I'm 17 years old. My home is District 12. It's bee destroyed. Snow hates me. I'm a prisoner of the Capitol. Peeta lied to me. He's a mutt. I want him dead.

"I want to kill Peeta Mellark."


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter 2**

**Peeta's POV**

"Maybe I should let her find me. You know, set something nice up and she can find me? No, that won't work. Surprises always overwhelm her… Oh! I could find someway onto the landing strip and- nah they would never let me out of here… Or I could…"

He's been going on like this for hours now. Ever since it was announced that the captives were to be rescued. Finnick has become obsessed with how he was going to welcome Annie back into his arms. If you ask me it's a waste of time. I'm not planning anything. All I want is to see Katniss and hold her again. That's all I want right now.

"Peeta? Hey, Peeta!"

I turn back to Finnick. I really need to stop dazing out like that. "What is it now Finnick?"

"I was asking what you're gonna do. When you see Katniss again. How are you gonna welcome her back?" he asks, his eyes lit up with excitement like a small child.

I shrug, shoving my hands into my pockets, "I'm not going to do anything. Nothing extraordinary anyway. I just want to see her and hold her. Katniss hates surprises. She hates for things to be all about her."

Finnick nods in understanding, "Annie doesn't really either but I'm excited. I'm going crazy here. She's the love of my life and she's being rescued I haven't seen her in months. I just feel like she deserves something special."

"I get it. I just don't want to scare her. I mean she's been a prisoner of the Capitol for five months now. Most likely tortured. She has to be uneasy. You saw her during that interview. She's scared."

Will she be the same when she comes back? Will she be the same strong yet caring girl I fell in love with? Of course not. She's wounded. Broken by Snow. But that doesn't mean she can't be healed. She's a fighter. She's not going to just give up. That's against everything Katniss believes in.

"You don't think… I mean you don't think they would torture her. They've already done so much to her… they couldn't right?" his asks, his eyes filled with worry for his girl.

Even though I don't know Annie, I know what he's talking about. I remember watching her Games while training for the Quarter Quell. Everyone knows the only reason she won the Games is because she was the only one that could stay afloat when the Gamemakers flooded the arena. Unfortunately, watching all those people drown while she was just barely hanging on didn't settle well with her. Now thye call her mad. Haunted by nightmare and memories.

Nobody understands how Capitol darling Finnick Odair could love a girl like her. It makes me wonder what I would do if that happened to Katniss. There's really no telling what she will be like once she's free of that place. Will she be like Annie? Or worse…

I can't think like this. Instead I focus on calming Finnick down. "I doubt they put her through any torture. They probably just locked her up to get in your head. You have nothing to worry about." I tell him with a wave of my hand, dismissing the idea.

He nods his head but remains silent, clearly still worrying about it as his fingers begin to move faster in their nearly constant motion of tying knots.

He really has nothing to worry about. Annie's fine. Probably shaken up, but physically unharmed. The ones we need to worry about are Katniss and Johanna. Who knows how bad their torture was. Especially after what Katniss did during her interview today. They may have just gone ahead and killed her… No. They won't do that. They'll do whatever it takes to break me. And they can't do that without Katniss.

What the Capitol didn't expect was for her to ever be rescued. But the rebels left hours ago for the Capitol. They might even be there now. Maybe even on their way back. There's really no way to know how long it will take to get them out of there. But they would. And then there would be nothing stopping us from winning the revolution and overthrowing the Capitol.

**Katniss' POV**

It's been quiet for too long. The typical whimpering and occasional scream that is the background noise of this prison is gone. Something's going on. I have no clue what it is but something tells me it's not good. I know I should be scared but I'm not really. Whatever it is that's about to happen couldn't be as bad as what I've already lived through here.

"Katniss… I think…I-I think they're coming. They're… here…" Johannas voice, even weaker than it was earlier today, comes from the other side of the wall. She must have had another session while I was in my interview.

"Who? Who's coming? I don't hear anything." I say, straining my ears, trying to understand what she's talking about.

"They're coming… the rebels are coming… it's finally happening. We're going to be saved." I hear an actual smile in her voice. Could it be true? Could they be coming after all this time? They understood my message? No. Don't get your hopes up. Johanna was clearly recently tortured, she could be hearing anything.

"Johanna it's probably nothing. We shouldn't get our hopes up and then-" I'm cut off as the lights shut off with a loud boom. The emergency lights flick on, flooding the room with bloody light. There's a scream, followed by a gun shot that's sound bounces off the walls of the prison. Worry fills me. Something _is _happening. Maybe Johanna's right…

"Here. We're… we're over here." Johanna says as loudly as she can in her weak, raspy voice. "Help… We're here."

"Shhh we still don't know who this is." I whisper as I press my face through the bars, trying to see who these intruders are.

The sound of heavy boots stomping against metal fills my ears. Long shadows in the shapes of men come down the hall towards my cell. I shuffle back into the far corner of my cell, trying to get as far into the shadows as I can. The steps are getting closer. I hear deep voices whispering to each other though I can't tell what they are talking about.

I squeeze my eyes shut, trying to calm my breathing down. I can't let them hear me. Don't find me, don't find me. Please. Haven't I already gone through enough?

A bright light hits my eyes, burning through my eyelids. The door of my cell slides open, they must have hacked into the security pad. I open my eyes a bit only to be blinded my a bright light. The silhouette of a male figure outlined as it kneels in front of me.

"Hey there Catnip. Ready to get the hell out of here?"

My eyebrows furrow in confusion until the light moces out of my eyes so that I can see Gales face. "Gale…?"

His lips turn up in a small smile, "Let's get you out of here alright?" he says, reaching his hand out for me.

I look at his hand with uncertainty. Should I take it? Accept his help? It took him five months to rescue me. That's a long time for someone who is my best friend. But honestly, I'm so glad to see a familiar face that I simply can't find it in me to be angry.

I take his hand, holding onto it for dear life as he pulls me up onto my feet. His hand feels lard and calloused around my own, giving me a case of nostalgia for home and my woods. Tears prick my eyes as I remember that my home is gone. There's no returning. And then I start to wonder how he's even here, alive. District 12 was destroyed. How could anybody have made it out? Could this mean that others are alive? My mother? Prim?

I open my mouth to voice my thoughts but am silenced as he puts a hand over my mouth. "I know you have questions and I promise you that I'll answer them but first, let's just get you out of this prison."

I nod my head in response. "We have to get Johanna and Annie out too." I say in a hushed whisper. After all Johanna and I have been through together, there's no way I'm leaving here without her. And Finnick would never forgive us if we didn't get Annie.

"Alright. Where are they? Do you know where their cells are?" Gale asks, his body tense as he looks around, looking for something to go wrong.

"Johanna's cell is right next to mine." I tell him, pointing to the wall we share. "And Annie's cell is a few down but on the other side." Honestly I haven't seen Annie since she was brought in here about two weeks after me and Johanna. She was obviously just imprisoned to get to Finnick. No way she went through any torture. All I heard from her are whimpers, deranged noises and screaming Finnick's name in her sleep.

Two of the soldiers that accompanied Gale appear with Johanna in tow. She's so weak that they practically have to carry her. I haven't actually seen her, besides her forearm in a little over a month so the sight of her causes my eyes to widen and my breath to catch in my throat. Her once shoulder length hair is almost gone. All that's left is patches, singed at the edges. Her scalp is burned, almost black in patches. Her body is also covered in burns, clearly weak. Her eyes are tired, but still look wild, crazed. It's such a change from the strong, smart-mouthed young woman I went into the Quarter Quell arena with.

A few minutes later, two other soldiers come back with Annie. She appears a bit thinner that when she was first brought here but otherwise unharmed. Her eyes darted around, looking over everyone's faces. "Finnick? Finnick? Finnick?" she repeated his name over and over, looking for him amongst the group. When she got to Johanna, she yelped and put her hands over her eyes. Must be easily frightened.

"He's waiting for you Miss Cresta. But we have to get you out of here first." Says a soldier in a calm voice. He was definitely from home. He has the dark features of the Seam. He probably worked in the mines.

"We have to move. Now. Katniss is injured but she should be able to move fine. Right?" Gale says, turning to me for conformation. I just nod my head, still too shocked to speak. "Good. Annie will be fine but Johanna's a different story. She can hardly stand let alone walk."

"I'll just carry her. It'll slow me down but it's better than having her trying to walk." Says the same soldier that calmed Annie down earlier.

"Alright then. Let's get moving." Gale speaks up, his voice stern.

We head down the same narrow prison hallway that I've been down so many times, only this time we're going the opposite way, deeper into the prison. As we pass by the cells, there are whimpers and cries of help. I try my best not to look at the faces of any of these prisoners. But it happens anyway. Their faces thin and full of hope. Their eyes hallow. They call out to me. They all know my name. "Katniss! Katniss please! Take us with you! Please Katniss!" Gripping bars, shaking them in a new rage with each door we pass. They're angry. I want to go back, save them too. So weak and more than likely innocent. But I can't. We have to keep moving.

That's when we hear it. The heavy stomp of military boots and deep voices shouting out orders. "Down this way!"

Gale curses under his breath and gestures us forward. We start to run, Gale leading the way to where I'm assuming they have a hovercraft ready. It hurts. Simply running makes my whole body ache with each step.

Gunshots fire over our heads, "Get down!" Gale yells as him and the other soldiers start firing at the Peacekeepers behind us.

I push myself back against a wall as bullets fly past me. There's no place to get down in an open hallway.

As a few minutes go by, the gunshots stop, leaving us with nothing but the helpless cries of the prisoners. "We're running out of time. We have to move fast." Gale says, gripping his gun in has hands. I still can't grasp the sight of him with a gun instead of a bow or knife.

We follow him again, this time moving at a faster pace. Once we reach the door at the end of the hallway, the siren goes off. Deafening as it hits my ear drums. We really do need to move.

Gale smashes the security pad with butt of his gun causing the door to slide open. He gestures us through with his hand, which we obey, being in no position to disagree. Stairs. Great. I can hardly feel my legs as it is. But I push myself anyway. Trudging up the stairs as quickly as I can without severely hurting myself.

We climb until we reach a door at the top leading to the roof. Never in my life have I been so happy to see a hovercraft.

The craft is on, waiting for us to climb aboard and take us from this place. We run towards it. So desperate to be free. There's an explosion. I turn around to see Gale on the ground surrounded by rubble. I try to help him up but he just tells me to leave, get on the hovercraft. His right shoulder is bleeding. Must have gotten some shrapnel in it. Peacekeepers come out the door rushing towards us.

"Go!" Gale yells as he manages to get to his feet.

We ran as fast as we can, the Peacekeepers not far behind. The second we are all securely on the hovercraft, it rises into the air. Peacekeepers yell up at us, firing their guns. But it's too late. They can't get us. We're saved. Free. And even as I collapse against one of the seats, it is still a hard concept to grasp.

**Peeta's POV**

They must be back by now. It's been hours. How could they not be here? Maybe something went wrong. What if they were caught? No, they didn't get caught. Stop thinking like this Peeta. Just stay positive. They're probably on their way back right now. Nothing to worry about.

Finnick and I are growing restless. I've been pacing the room for a good forty-five minutes and Finnick has been tying knots so fast his fingers have rope burns.

"This is ridiculous! It shouldn't be taking this long. Something must have happened. We have to go help." Finnick says in a rushed panicked voice as he throws his rope to the floor and starts walking towards the door.

I stop him with a hand to his shoulder, "Nothing happened. I'm sure everything is fine. They're probably on their way back as we speak." I tells him in my feeble attempt to calm him.

"Why aren't you freaking out? What if they're hurt? What if they never even got them out and got caught instead? What if-"

"Of course I'm worried. But panicking isn't going to help anything. We just need to remain calm and wait." I cut him off.

"Yeah but-" he's cut off again as the door opens and Haymitch walks through.

Me and Haymitch haven't exactly been on the best terms since our arrival to District 13. He lied to me. I asked him to make sure that Katniss was the one to make it out not me. But not only did he not get her out first, he let her get taken prisoner by the Capitol. When he first told me about her being taken I had wanted nothing more than to punch him in the jaw and demand him to get her back right then and there. But I didn't, I knew there was no point. She was gone. Taken away from me. And no matter what I do, I can't get myself to not blame Haymitch for all of it.

"They're back. In the infirmary getting checked for anything vital. You can see them now." Haymitch says, causing Finnick to run out of the room, not even caring about anything else Haymitch has to say.

Haymitch rolls his eyes and stares straight at me. He has something to say. I can just tell. I don't want to talk. I'm too pumped with energy. All I want is to get to the infirmary as fast as I can and see Katniss again.

I start to walk past him but he grabs my arm and stops me. "Listen boy. She's weak okay? She's fine. Damaged but fine. But what she doesn't need is tension. So you need to let go of what I did. That girl can smell tension from a mile away. So just forget it. She's back, she's safe and that's all that matters."

I look away from him towards the door, "Can I just go to the infirmary? I have to see her. Now. Or I'm going to lose my mind." Haymitch sighs and releases my arm, "Follow me." He turns and walks out the door, towards the infirmary. I folls him, anticipation building with each step. The closer I get it's almost like I can sense her presense.

I end up ahead of Haymitch, bursting through the doors of the infirmary. The room is in chaos. Doctors and nurses rushing around, probably busy taking care of our new arrivals. I look around, my eyes landing on Finnick hwo is collapsed against he wall, his arms wrapped tightly around a small woman with hair like a sunset, whom I would assume is Annie Cresta, her arms and legs also wrapped rightly around his body. It's obvious their in love.

Now I have to see her. I have to. "She's in that room." Haymitch says, pointing to a room straight ahead, answering my prayers.

I don't even hesitate. I practically run to that door, ripping it open and stepping into the room.

She's there. Sitting on a hospital table, surrounded by nurses checking her vitals. She looks thinner, her eyes tired, bruises and small cuts are visible on her arms and legs. But otherwise she looks fine.

Her eyes flicker up to me then, noticing my presence in the room. They switch from confused, shocked and then anger. Anger? Why is she angry?

**Katniss' POV**

Him. He's here. How dare he come to me. After all he's done to me. He looks confused. "Katniss? Is something wrong?"

I push a nurse out of the way and stand, discreetly grabbing a syringe one of the nurses left on the table. Peeta smiles a bit, his arms open up for me to run into. Why would I come to you, you mutt?

My vision is fuzzy, unbalanced. Peeta's eyes shift from blue to black, his smile turning into a grimace. Mutt… you mutt. I step towards him and his grimace widens. "You mutt…" I mumble as I take another step.

His black eyes become confused, "What?"

"You filthy mutt!" I scream, running towards him, syringe raised, ready to kill him.

"What the hell?!" he exclaims as I rush at him, swinging the syringe, managing to cut his arm. He grips it in his hand and starts at me with wide eyes. Before I can attack again, Haymitch, who had come running in when he heard me scream, grabs me and holds me back, knocking the syringe out of my hand.

"Let go of me! I have to kill him! He's a mutt! A mutt!-" I'm stopped as a needle is jabbed into my neck. I feel dizzy, slipping away.

"Get a grip sweetheart." Haymitch says through gritted teeth as he restrains me. I look up to see Peeta bewildered and confused and then I black out.


End file.
